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Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a condition in which a woman has an imbalance of estrogen, progesterone and androgen. This may lead to menstrual cycle changes, cysts in the ovaries, trouble getting pregnant, skin, changes and, development of male-like characteristics .
Symptoms of PCOS include changes in your period (menstrual cycle). Some changes are:
PCOS can cause you to develop male-like characteristics. This is called virilization. Symptoms include:
You may also have skin changes:
Weight gain and obesity is common in women with PCOS. Losing weight can help treat the hormone changes and health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. Losing just 5% of your body weight can help your hormone imbalance and may make it easier to get pregnant. For a 160-pound woman, that's just 8 pounds! Your doctor may recommend birth control pills to make your periods more regular. Such medicines may also help reduce abnormal hair growth after you take them for a few months.
A diabetes medicine called glucophage (metformin) may also be recommended to:
Other medicines that may be prescribed to help make your periods regular and help you get pregnant are:
Your doctor or nurse may also suggest other treatments for abnormal hair growth. Some are:
Permanent hair removal options include:
Treatments can be expensive and multiple treatments may be needed. A pelvic laparoscopy may be done to remove or alter an ovary to treat infertility. The effects are temporary.